Family level characters:The defining characters for this family and its 15 genera are the presence, or absence, of certain types of spicules. These include the triaene megascleres that look like pitch forks with a long shaft, one end pointed and the other end triple-pronged, and one type or a combination of microscleres including star-shaped asterose forms and/or spined rods or microrhabds. Ancorinid sponges adopt diverse growth forms including encrusting, massive or spherical forms, some with long, inhalent and/or exhalent tubes.

Order level characters:Sponges of the five families in this order are characterised by their star-like or asterose microscleres, often in combination with tetractinal megascleres (having four axes) that are peculiar to this order. The megascleres tend to be arranged radially, obvious at least in the peripheral region or cortex of the sponge.